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Supplier Diversity

The Saint Louis Zoo supports the development and growth of diverse businesses.

Vendor Tier 2 Reporting

Coming Soon!

The Saint Louis Zoo utilizes the vendor management platform VIVA-IT Stars to streamline the Prime suppliers submittal and review of Tier 2 (direct and/or indirect) spend data for each diversity type.

Supplier Diversity MBE/WBE Strategy

The Saint Louis Zoo is committed to fostering a diversified vendor base in all purchasing habits on all its campuses. These diversified purchasing strategies and procedures support the Zoo’s commitment to its community as well as the larger St. Louis community as a whole.

The goal of this strategy is to support the local community, demonstrate corporate responsibility, promote innovations, increase sustainability and provide multiple channels to procure goods and services in all our purchasing decisions by buying from vendors who share our commitment. Supplier diversity purchasing is the method whereby under represented certified businesses are weighted to the price, availability, and performance criteria the Zoo use to make purchasing decisions. The zoo aims to encourage purchases with certified minority and women businesses and strategic alignment with non-certified businesses to partner and employ marginalized communities outside and within their vendor base.

The aim of this supplier diversity purchasing strategy is to develop policies consistent with these principles:

  • Provide minority and women-owned businesses the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts or sub-contracts of the Zoo.
  • Ensure all necessary and reasonable steps are sought out with minority and women-owned businesses to have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform under all Zoo contracts.
  • Seek options for products and services which are owned and operated by minority and women owned businesses.
  • Support businesses and help marginalized communities thrive and grow financially.
  • Stimulate demand for business-to-business collaboration by showcasing to contractors, manufacturers and suppliers how the Zoo expects vendors to engage with the community.

Policy on Supplier Diversity on Saint Louis Zoo Contracts

The Saint Louis Zoo is committed to the Supplier Diversity Purchasing Strategy in all its operations. This commitment is met in part by requiring the Policy on Supplier Diversity on Saint Louis Zoo Contracts to be enacted on all purchases over $10,000. Purchases under this threshold shall provide good faith based efforts to executed with underrepresented minority and women-owned businesses.

Annual Report

Supplier Diversity Program Annual Report 2022

Supplier Diversity Program Annual Report 2021

Certifying Your Business

Interested in certifying your business? Below are links for more information.

St. Louis Business Diversity Development

State of Missouri's Supplier Diversity Program